Rick's Eyes
by Nightcrawlerlover
Summary: AU oneshot based on the episode Time Stands Still. Emma and Rick are in the hallway. She realizes that he has a crush on her, and vice versa. Can she admit her true feelings for Rick, or push him away?


**Here's a new oneshot, inspired by all those fics I read about Rick Murray and Emma Nelson, as well as the 2 parter episode Time Stands Still from Season 4. It's an Alternate Universe where the episode would go a little differently, as I prefer happy endings. So I cooked this up, and I hope it's really good. Plus, Ephraim Ellis, who played Rick, did a great job, and he's a fantastic actor as well. **

**Dedicated to my friend Liz (aka LiZ-RoX), who likes Degrassi as much as I do.  
**

**Well, enjoy, and tell me what you think.**

**Disclaimer: The geniuses at The N own Degrassi: The Next Generation. The song lyrics belong with their respective owners. I own the oneshots and stories.

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**Rick's Eyes  
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It all made sense now. Emma tried to deny it, but it kept coming back to her. Rick Murray, the ex-boyfriend of Terri McGregor, the "psycho", the "freak", actually liked _her_ – Emma Nelson, aka "Greenpeace" and "Cause Girl" (given to her by Jay Hogart, the school's "bad boy" and manipulative bully). Or maybe it was more than that. She didn't know.

_Rick likes you. No, scratch that. He has a crush on you – bigtime! _

As Rick slowly walked towards her, she pressed herself against the row of lockers behind her. She felt lost in those dark brown orbs of his. So many emotions she saw – anger, pain – and two other things she had seen when watching the 1992 film "Bram Stoker's Dracula" a few months ago – namely, lust and darkness. Practically everything about his eyes just filled Emma with warmth. His staring at her was so....intense. That was the only word she could find to describe it.

"_This is all for you," _he had whispered into her ear before going up to take on the challenge of the lightning round in the "Whack Your Brain" tournament. And at the time a look of confusion had crossed her face. She didn't know what he meant. Now she knew.

Oh sure, she knew that everybody had a dark side to their characters. She knew of the age-old sequence where the "good" and "bad" consciences speak with the hero. The "angel and devil on the shoulders" was what they called it.

Too bad that only existed in the movies and in stories.

_Emma, run! Run! Don't just let him toy with you!_

_I can't! He...he's so...so dreamy....! _

Over and over her thoughts fought in the mental battlefield of her mind as she blinked, trying to take it all in.

But when Rick was 3 inches away from her, she just stood there, waiting.

Then, when he pressed his mouth against hers, placing his hands on her shoulders...

...she closed her eyes and welcomed the passion he put into the kiss...

After all, what they all called him – freak, psycho – it didn't matter anymore to her.

He had changed. He wanted a second chance.

She knew only one thing.

She loved him, and she was willing to stay by his side, no matter what life – or fate – threw at them.

She knew that for sure.

_****A Heart Like Mine****_

_~~Clint Black~~_

_On a barstool like a damn fool  
Hoping she won't think I'm too much older  
Just another come on line  
To a girl like you in a place like this _

_And on the dance floor wanting so much more  
I crossed that line and got that cold shoulder  
You probably think I'm full of it  
But I don't think you'll ever find such emptiness_

_This heart of mine is just looking for  
A heart like mine who's just looking for what it can find  
Still looking for a heart like mine_

_I'm not the only one who's lonely  
I find that feeling beating all around me  
But with just a night or two  
I'd know if you're the one_

_  
But now that shoulder's getting colder  
And soon you'll turn and leave me like you found me  
Still way out of line, one thing on my mind  
And all alone _

_This heart of mine is just looking for  
A heart like mine who's just looking for what it can find  
Still looking for a heart like mine_

_This heart of mine is just looking for  
A heart like mine who's just looking for  
A heart like mine who's just looking for  
A heart like mine..._

Emma believed that from this moment on, she would help Rick in any situation, and he would help her.

_Sort of like in that scene from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" where Jack Sparrow saves Elizabeth Swann's life, and she saves his in return._

The thought made her mentally smile.

Finally, Rick pulled back for air, and then smiled at her.

"Come on, Emma. Let's go," he said, smiling also.

"Ok, Rick," she replied, a smile spreading across her lips as well.

She had forgiven Rick.

And for the moment as they walked down the hallway holding hands, that was all that mattered to Emma Nelson.

Finally, she had found what she had unknowingly been looking for.

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**Well, did you like it? If it's that good, I'll post more oneshots about Rick. He's my favorite character, and I think he deserves love and respect as much as any Degrassi character does. Be sure to PM me with suggestions for ideas about Rick-centered stories; there should be more of them.  
**

**~Nightcrawlerlover  
**


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